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| Day 1: Arrival in Colombo |
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| On arrival you will be greeted by our Representative/tour guide at the arrival lounge with a paging board with your name. From the airport, it is about a 4 hour drive to Kandy. As you leave the warm lowlands, you'll gradually see the green hills looming in the distance and probably notice that the temperature will drop a few degrees lower than it was when you first arrived in Sri Lanka. |
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Kandy which is a UNESCO world heritage site is an interesting town and it is easy to spend a few days exploring the local area. Set on the shores of a peaceful lake, you'll find many charming streets to wander through. Its the perfect choice for some relaxation, good food and time to acclimatize after your long flight. Your hotel in Kandy will be a cosy and comfortable hotel located in the hills. |
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| Day 2: Kandy |
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| After a restful night and a hearty breakfast, you will probably have gathered enough strength to take a city tour today. You will be met by your driver/Tour guide at the hotel and taken to the the local sites. The itinerary is up to you to decide with your driver, but we would recommend visiting the Royal Botanic Garden, about 3.5 miles from the city centre. For garden lovers this place is a true oasis. You can explore the park on foot and check out local flora and exotic vegetation grown here. |
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After this trip, you can head back to Kandy city limit. Sitting high on the hill, you will probably have already spotted this white marble Buddha statue as it can be seen from all corners of the lake. As one of the landmarks of the city, this imposing statue looks out to the golden roof of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. |
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In the evening, you can head out to a traditional Kandy Dance Show and a visit to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Every evening from 17:00, a traditional dance show is demonstrated in the city of Kandy. It's a spectacular event in which the dancers, dressed in colorful glittering costumes, do an acrobatic performance to rhythmic music. Your evening will then end with a visit to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Myth has it that a canine tooth of Buddha is kept here, making Kandy a sacred pilgrimage for Buddhists. |
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At around05.30-10:00, 18:30 there is a Puja ceremony, in which the faithful bring Buddhist offerings and flowers. The temple is very crowded at this time, but its a real shame to miss out on this special occasion. Appropriate clothing (covered shoulders and at least knee-length trousers/skirt) must be worn. After a lovely evening, you'll head back to your accommodation for the last night of your Kandy tour. |
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| Day 3: Kandy - Nuwara Eliya |
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| After breakfast your holiday continues into the tea hills of Nuwara Eliya. Nuwara Eliya meaning "the
city of dawn" is the town at the highest elevation (about 2000m above sea level) in Sri Lanka. |
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| On the way between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya, you'll find tea bushes as far as the eye can see. As you drive around this part of Sri Lanka you can pick out the colourful clothes of the tea pickers speckled amongst the seas of green. They mostly come from South India to work here, picking leaves by hand and working in the factories. |
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You'll be able to visit one of these factories where you can follow the process from fresh leaves to dried tea and try all the different qualities of tea that are made here. At the end of the day, you'll arrive in Nuwara Eliya, which is also an English town with many Victorian looking homes. You'll spend the night in a comfortable hotel, centrally located in Nuwara Eliya. |
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| Day 4: Nuwara Eliya - Ella |
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| After breakfast, you will be picked up by jeep to visit Horton Plains and world's End. Very early in the morning when the sky is still clear you'll drive about 45 minutes to the Horton Plains National Park where you can take a walk on the plateau. Every turn and direction you look gives you a completely different view of Sri Lanka. The highlight of the tour is actually the lowest point, World's End, a spectacular gorge where you really get the feeling that the country has come to an end. |
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Later in the day you'll travel from the tea hills in Nuwara Eliya to the mountains of Ella. Zoom past impressive mountain scenery along spectacular depths and vistas. The hotel is situated in a quiet area in the mountains, and it's not far from the charming Ella Town. |
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| Overnight will be at a hotel in Ella. |
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| Day 5: Ella |
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| This morning you'll wake up to beautiful views over the mountains of Sri Lanka, take a moment to take it all in because, on day 5 of your Sri Lanka trip its time for some real work. We'll provide you with a packed lunch for your challenging hike to Little Adam's Peak. Its a brisk 2 hour walk through tea plantations, beautiful train bridges and remote villages. You'll have to climb the last bit to the summit via large steps but its worth it, at the top you can put your feet up as you look out over the gigantic ridges. |
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If you prefer, you can climb Ella Rock instead of Little Adam's Peak. It's a much harder and longer trek (approx 3-4 hours) but the view from the highest point is breathtaking. You'll start your walk along the train track and gradually hear the splash of waterfalls in the distance. Walk through winding jungle trails until you reach the top. Once back in Ella you can treat yourself to a herbal massage to help ease your muscles after this long day. |
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| Overnight will be at a hotel in Ella. |
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| Day 6: Ella - Yala National Park |
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| On day 6 of your Sri Lanka holiday, you'll drive towards Yala National Park where you can settle in to your campsite where you will spend the night. Stop off en route at the Elephant Transit Home where injured babies and orphans are cared for. You will visit around feeding time and watch as the young elephants wait patiently at the gate and tease each other for the first sip of milk. |
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In the afternoon you'll head into the Yala National Park for the safari. Yala National Park is the most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka.The park covers 979 square kilometres (378 sq mi) and is located about 300 kilometres (190 mi) from Colombo. The park is best known for its variety of wild animals. Yala harbours 215 bird species including six endemic species of Sri Lanka. The number of mammals that has been recorded from the park is 44, and it has one of the highest leopard densities in the world. |
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| Afterwards, you'll drive back to the campsite where you can let all your memories of the day sink in. You'll spend the night in a tent with a private bathroom and comfortable beds. Optional will be to stay at one of the many hotels in Yala. |
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| Day 7: Yala - Galle |
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| On day 7 of your Sri Lanka holiday, it will be time to travel back to Colombo. You will stop off en route inGalle. The South Coast's major city is Galle, whose oldest land mark is the massive Portuguese and Dutch fort in which the central city is contained. Some scholars believe it to be the "Tarshish" of the Old Testament, to which King Solomon sent his merchant vessels, and to which Jonah fled from the Lord. Today, the 90 acreGalle
Fort shows no evidence of its Portuguese founders.The Dutch incorporated the Portuguese northern wall in a great rampart in 1663. |
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| Day 8 & 9:
Bentota |
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| After Breakfast Will start for another amazing beach resort in Bentota. Two overnight in Bentota and You will be able to enjoy with stunning beach of Sri Lanka and be able to Wales watching and snorkeling etc.. as you will. |
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| If you would like to extend your trip for more time on the beach, please let us know when you make your enquiry. |
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| Day 10: Departure from Colombo |
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| You will travel to Colombo and thereafter for a city tour which will include being treated to a very British high tea in the colonial Galle Face Hotel. After you will transfer to Colombo airport |
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